Electric Brakes

[TX_Clay]

Had a situation a couple weekends ago where I was pulling my 2015 CY3010 with our 06 Dodge 4Dr LWB 3500 down the Interstate slightly above the speed limit. Had 18 wheeler and 2 cars in front of me in the right lane and cars passing in the left lane. 18 Wheeler suddenly pulls over right, straddling the shoulder and half the right lane and slams on his brakes. 2 cars in front of me brake hard. I, literally, am standing on my brakes. Anti-lock on the truck is chirping as wheels are trying to lock up and I am closing on the car in front of me way to fast. The cars and I all move over a half lane to miss the truck, I push the poor guy on left off to the left shoulder and grass. I see dirt and gravel and a finger as he roars past me. Somehow we all miss each other and get sorted back into our lanes to go on.
I feel like the only thing my trailer brakes did for me was keep enough brake applied to the trailer to keep it from coming around, it stayed behind me and never fishtailed. Certainly didn't feel like I was slowing much. I didn't hear trailer tires screeching or see smoke boiling off of them as I expected to see, considering I was pushing the pedal through the firewall. I have never had a panic stop like that pulling this trailer before and now I am wondering if my brakes are working as they should?
I have used the manual lever on my electric brake controller since and it slows the truck when pulled fully over. I would think it should be locking brakes up?

 

[superduty08]

I also had a couple of near misses with the drum brakes. I called the titan guy, Ron Russell, with Preformance brakes and had them come to me and convert to electric over hydraulic disk brakes. Day and night difference. I feel confident when I need to brake now.

 

[wdk450]

I also had a couple of near misses with the drum brakes. I called the titan guy, Ron Russell, with Preformance brakes and had them come to me and convert to electric over hydraulic disk brakes. Day and night difference. I feel confident when I need to brake now.

With my MorRyde/Kodiak disk brakes I have the problem of inadvertently putting flat spots on my tires from unknowingly locking up the trailer wheels. Compared to the white knuckle stops I had before the disk brakes conversion, this is a small inconvenience. In my opinion disk brakes should be standard on large 5th wheel RV's.

 

[jayc]

Here is another vote for the Titan Guy and his disk brakes. No more white knuckles for me!

 

[Gary521]

Perhaps your brakes are not working as they should. Do you have self adjusting brakes or manual? Have you checked your brake shoes? Have you checked your magnets? Have you calibrated your controller to the weight of your trailer and its braking system?

 

[farside291]

I have the same issue with mine. It will not lock the tires on the trailer no matter what setting. I have calibrated the controller to the trailer and when setting up the controller it doesn't lock the wheels. At slow speed it does stop the trailer but not lock the tires. The funny thing is sometimes on rough roads the brakes get grabby and they seem to have more force then when I am moving at a faster speed. I use the prodigy P3 controller. Maybe the trailer is too heavy for the brakes? Don't know, but I keep plenty of distance between me and the guy in front.

 

[kkamshop]

Someone years ago told me that electric brakes are just as reliable as a clearance light. Disc brakes are the only way to go if you travel at highway speeds with a big 5th wheel

 

[jnbhobe]

Love my disc brakes

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[alexb2000]

I have the same issue with mine. It will not lock the tires on the trailer no matter what setting. I have calibrated the controller to the trailer and when setting up the controller it doesn't lock the wheels. At slow speed it does stop the trailer but not lock the tires. The funny thing is sometimes on rough roads the brakes get grabby and they seem to have more force then when I am moving at a faster speed. I use the prodigy P3 controller. Maybe the trailer is too heavy for the brakes? Don't know, but I keep plenty of distance between me and the guy in front.

What axles do you have?

 

[Gary521]

Electric brakes work just fine IF they are adjusted properly and the shoes/drums are in good order. I believe this is one area on a trailer that gets neglected. Self adjusting brakes help a lot.

 

[wehavefun]

I had disk brakes on previous Bighorn, I saw such a dramatic difference when I purchased my current Bighorn it went to MorRyde to get disk brakes before I bought it home. I KNOW disk brakes saved me from one very close call. Never will I have drum brakes on an RV again!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[jnbhobe]

Electric drum brakes are no comparison to disc brakes.

 

[mlpeloquin]

I had them put on at the Las Vegas rally. Will do the test drive
on Monday.

 

[TX_Clay]

Unfortunately, I do not have $3000 to drop on disk brakes. Believe me, I would love to have disk brakes.
I have noticed that on bumpy roads, my trailer brakes seemed to work a little better. So I am going to do 2 things.
1. Pull them apart and look at the adjustment and magnets.
2. Add an additional ground from each wheel back to the junction box where the wiring for the lights and brakes tie into the system.

On my old trailer, I could lock these puppies up. But not this one and seeing they seem to work better on bumpy roads may indicate a ground issue.
Now that we are down for repairs from a blowout. May be the perfect time to do this.
Thanks

 

[alexb2000]

Unfortunately, I do not have $3000 to drop on disk brakes. Believe me, I would love to have disk brakes.
I have noticed that on bumpy roads, my trailer brakes seemed to work a little better. So I am going to do 2 things.
1. Pull them apart and look at the adjustment and magnets.
2. Add an additional ground from each wheel back to the junction box where the wiring for the lights and brakes tie into the system.

On my old trailer, I could lock these puppies up. But not this one and seeing they seem to work better on bumpy roads may indicate a ground issue.
Now that we are down for repairs from a blowout. May be the perfect time to do this.
Thanks

What axles do you have?

 

[U2fletch]

I just put the Titan disc brakes on my Cyclone 3110 myself. The kit was $1625 after the $100 discount I got from Ron while at the Canton Rally. Took me all day yesterday to accomplish, but it was not rocket science.

Well worth the effort.

Jeff

 

[Rookie17]

Great conversation. I have two things to add, one a statement of sorts and the other a question if I may...

Firstly, another vote for the Titan disk brake conversion. I have a large Fountain powerboat with twin big block Chevy's so it weighs only a couple thousand pounds less than an empty Cyclone 4150. Disk brake conversion on that trailer was the best thing I ever did and this winter I believe the 4150 will get the same thing.

In the meantime, a question. Are these 4150 brakes full electric or electric over hydraulic? I suspect full electric...?
I have a seven hour tow a week from now and disc brakes won't be on until winter. I tow with a mid size Schwalbe conversion Peterbilt so it stops fine on the truck brakes, in fact it stops too well and even with the Prodigy 2 controller set to its lowest setting the trailer brakes are way too aggressive.

I'm trying to figure out if I have a dead Prodigy controller, or if perhaps I need a different controller if these brakes are full electric rather than electric over hydraulic. Been Google searching but not really getting much clear answers, so about to go buy a new controller anyway.
Before I do, can anyone save me pulling a wheel off and let me know if these things are full electric or electric over hydraulic so I can buy the right controller?

Thank you for any help. Just trying to save a little time pulling stuff apart

 

[billyjoeraybob]

I helped another forum member install the Titan Disc brake conversion on his Big Country. If you have ever repacked the front wheel bearings on a 70's model GM vehicle with front disc brakes, you can do the conversion. It is no more difficult than that. As far as brake controllers go, you need one that has a setting for electric over hydraulic. If not there is a little device you can add to fake out the controller some also wire a brake magnet in-line to do the same thing

 

[U2fletch]

Before I do, can anyone save me pulling a wheel off and let me know if these things are full electric or electric over hydraulic so I can buy the right controller?

The stock brakes are totally electric.

Jeff

 

[Rookie17]

The stock brakes are totally electric.

Jeff

Thank you. Prodigy 3 controller looks like the best bet then.